Right-back Matty Cash has addressed speculation about his future after being linked with a return to Nottingham Forest this summer.
The Reds made strengthening at full-back a priority before the transfer window closed. Five years after he left for Aston Villa, Cash was touted as a potential option to bolster the club’s ranks.
In the end, Forest signed Nicolo Savona and Oleksandr Zinchenko as defensive competition while Brazilian Cuiabano also arrived before returning to Botafogo on loan. It meant no reunion for Nigel Doughty Academy graduate Cash, although he has made clear he is happy at Villa Park.
"I've loved my time at Villa for the last five years, and hopefully I can have many years still at the club," the Poland international told the PA news agency. "I love the club, I'm really settled in Birmingham.
"If you've got clubs coming in for you, it's obviously a good sign. But I love playing for Villa. I love playing under Unai (Emery) and as I said, hopefully for many years I can keep doing that."
Both Forest and Villa will compete in the Europa League this season. For the Reds, it is a return to the continental stage for the first time in three decades.
"We want to do well in Europe again this year," Cash said of Villa’s ambitions. "We have got an experienced manager, who's obviously won it many times.
"I think it's always an aim. When you're in a European competition, you want to try and do as well as you can. And obviously, if you get to the later stages, you want to try and win it."
The Reds made 13 signings in total before Monday’s cut-off. In addition to Savona, Cuiabano and Zinchenko, they signed Igor Jesus, Jair Cunha, Angus Gunn, Dan Ndoye, Omari Hutchinson, James McAtee, Douglas Luiz, Arnaud Kalimuendo, John Victor and Dilane Bakwa.
A number of full-back targets were considered heading into the final stages of the window. Reports from Spain have suggested Forest made a deadline day bid for Espanyol right-back Omar El Hilali.
Everton, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Como also reportedly tried their luck for the defender. However, sporting director Fran Garagarza is said to have waved the offers away as they fell below the player’s €25 million (£21m) release clause.
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